Transcript Cultural Influences On Consumer Behavior

Cultural Influences On
Consumer Behavior
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Culture:

Is the accumulation of shared meanings,
rituals, norms, and traditions among the
members of an organization or society.
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Consumer Behavior and Culture:
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A Two-Way Street
Products and services that resonate with
the priorities of a culture at any given
time have a much better chance of being
accepted by consumers.
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Cultural Categories:
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Leisure?
Work?
Genders?
Masculine style?
Feminine style?
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Cultural Categories
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Case:
Since the terrorist attacks on September 11,
2001, designers, advertisers, and retailers
have been more sensitive.
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Case:
Clothing worn by political figures or movie and
rock stars can affect the apparel and accesory
industries.
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Aspects Of Culture
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Culture is not static.
Aspects of culture:
1. Ecology
The way in which a system is adapted
to its habitat.
Ex: The japanese, greatly value
products that are designed for efficient
use of space.
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Aspects Of Culture
2. Social Structure
The way in which orderly social life is
maintained
Ex: nuclear family VS extended family
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Aspects Of Culture
3. Ideology
The mental characteristics of a
people and the way in which they
relate to their environment and social
group.
Ex: nuclear family VS extended family
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Myths:
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That define the culture
A myth:
is a story containing symbolic elements
that expresses the shared emotions and
ideals of a culture.
Ex: M for McDonald’s
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Myths:
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Serve four interrelated functions:
1. Metaphysical
Help explain the origins of existence.
2. Cosmological
Emphasize that all components of the
universe are part of a single picture.
3. Sociological
Maintain social order by authorizing a social
code.
4. Psychological
Provide models for personal conduct.
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Rituals:
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Is a set of multiple, symbolic behaviors
that occur in a fixed sequence and that
tend to be repeated periodically.
Ex: wear prom dress
tuxedos
graduation gowns
wedding gowns
Halloween gowns
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Sacred Consumption:
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Involves objects and events that are “set
apart” from normal activities, and are
treated with some degree of respect or
awe.
Ex: - Sacred place (Bethlehem; Mecca;
Stonehenge)
- Sacred people (Princess Di; John
Lennon; Elvis
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The Creation And
Diffusion Of Fashion
Consumer culture
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The culture, the movement of meaning
Figure 3-1 Page 81
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Culture production process
Figure 3-2 Page 82
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Culture Production System:
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Three major subsystems:
1. A creative sub system
responsible for generating new
symbols and products.
2. A managerial sub system
responsible for selecting, making tangible,
mass producing, and managing the
distribution of new symbols and/or
products.
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Culture Production System
(continued):

Three major subsystems:
3. A communication sub system
responsible for giving meaning to the
new product and providing it with a
symbolic set of attributes that are
communicated to consumers.
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Apparel Specialists In The
fashion Industry:
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Designer
designs the specific items
Merchandiser
conducts research for future styles and
trends.
PR Dept
deals with the public
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Apparel Specialists In The
fashion Industry (continued):
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Adv Dept
conceives and develops ideas for
campaigns and creates advertisement to
promote the merchandise
Sales person
sells, provide information and assistance
to customers
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Apparel Specialists In The
fashion Industry (continued):
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Store manager
oversees merchandise categories
Controller
manages the retailer’s financial plans
Grader
size pattern
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Types Of Innovations
1. A symbolic innovation
communicates a new social meaning,
Example: - a new hair style
- a new car design
2. A technological innovation
involves some functional change,
Example: - a new textile form
- a new central home air
conditioning
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Behavioral Demands Of
Innovations:
Three major types of innovations:
1. A continuous innovation
a modification of an existing product,
example: Levi’s promoted shrink to fit
jeans,
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Behavioral Demands Of
Innovations:
Three major types of innovations:
2. A dynamically continuous innovation,
- more pronounced change in an
existing product.
- have a modest impact on the way
people do thing, creating some
behavioral change.
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Behavioral Demands Of
Innovations:
Three major types of innovations:
3. A discontinuous innovation
- creates major change in the way we
live.
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Prerequisites For Successful
Adoption:
Several factors are desirable for a new
product to succeed:
1. Compatibility,
the innovation should be compatible
with consumers’ lifestyle
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Prerequisites For Successful
Adoption:
Several factors are desirable for a new
product to succeed:
2. Trialability
people are more likely to adopt an
innovation if they can experiment with
it prior to making a commitment.
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Prerequisites For Successful
Adoption:
Several factors are desirable for a new
product to succeed:
3. Complexity
- The product should be low in
complexity.
- A product that is easier to understand
and use will be chosen over that of a
competitor.
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Prerequisites For Successful
Adoption:
Several factors are desirable for a new
product to succeed:
5. Relative advantage
- the product should offer relative
advantage over other alternatives,
- The consumer must believe that its
use will provide a benefit other products
cannot offer.
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Prerequisites For Successful
Adoption:
Several factors are desirable for a new
product to succeed:
4. Observability
- innovation that are easily observable
and communicated, are more likely to
spread
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Tasks
No.7. Page 103
Do you think product placement is fair
competition? What fashion brand
examples do you see in your favorite TV
shows and movies?
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Individual Consumer
Dynamics (Motivation and
Values)
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Theories Of Motivation For
Wearing Clothes
1.
2.
3.
4.
Modest theory.
Immodest theory.
Protection theory.
Adornment theory.
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Theories Of Motivation For
Wearing Clothes (continued)
1.
Modest theory.
-people wore clothing to conceal the
private parts of their bodies.
-Modest theory is not universal
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Theories Of Motivation For
Wearing Clothes (continued)
2. Immodest theory.
-clothes have been worn to draw
attention to certain parts of the body.
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Theories Of Motivation For
Wearing Clothes (continued)
3. Protection theory.
-clothing was first used to protect us
from the elements such as cold, from
insect and animals.
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Theories Of Motivation For
Wearing Clothes (continued)
4. Adornment theory.
-function of clothing is adornment,
personal decoration, or aesthetic
expression.
-shows status and identity, and raises
one’s self esteem.
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Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs
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Proposed by the psychologist Abraham
Maslow.
A certain level must be attained before
the next, higher one is activated.
One must first satisfy basic needs before
progressing up the ladder.
Figure 4-2 Page 118.
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Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs
(continued)
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Clothing can satisfy needs at nearly every
level:
- Physiological:
clothing covers the body and protects
us from the elements.
- Safety:
clothing sold in US must pass
flammability standards.
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Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs
(continued)
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Clothing can satisfy needs at nearly every
level:
- Social:
fashion is something to share with and
be seen in by others.
- Esteem:
wearing the latest fashion make us feel
good and give us a sense of status.
- Self actualization:
my clothes are an expression of the total me.
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Consumer Involvement
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Do consumers form strong relationship
with products and services?
Involvement:
a person’s perceived relevance of object
based on their inherent needs, values,
and interests.
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Consumer Involvement
(continued)
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Involvement can be viewed as the
motivation to process information.
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Strategies To Increase
Involvement
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Consumers differ in their level of involvement
with respect to a product message.
A consumer’s motivation to process relevant
information can be enhanced by one or more
techniques:
1. Appeal to the consumer’s hedonic need.
2. Use novel stimuli.
3. Use prominent stimuli.
4. Include celebrity endorsers.
5. Build a bond with consumers.
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Values
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Values are fundamental beliefs that
direct or motivate our behavior and
decision making.
A person‘s set of values plays an
important role in consumption activities,
since many products and services are
purchased because people believe they
will help to attain a value related goal.
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Core Values
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Every culture has a set of values that it
imparts to its members.
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Tasks
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No.4 Page 136.
Collect a sample of fashion ads that
appear to appeal to consumer values.
What value is being communicated in
each, and how is this done? Is this an
effective approach to designing a
marketing communication?
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Demographic, Subcultures
(Age, Race, Ethnicity)
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Consumer lifestyles are affected by
group memberships within the society at
large.
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Age And Consumer Identity
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People have many things in common
with others merely because they are
about the same age (or live in the same
part of country).
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Consumers who grew up at the same
time share many cultural memories.
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Age And Consumer Identity
(continued)
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Four important age cohort:
1. Teens.
2. College students.
3. Baby boomers.
4. elderly.
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Age And Consumer Identity
(continued)
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Teenagers:
- making transition from childhood to
adulthood.
- their self concepts tend to be unstable.
- they are receptive to products,
especially fashion.
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The Gray Market
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Attempting to cater to all ages, ethnic
group, and sizes.
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Race And Ethnic Subcultures
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A group of consumers who are held
together by common cultural and/or
genetic ties.
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Marketers can no longer ignore the
stunning diversity of cultures.
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Race And Ethnic Subcultures
(continued)
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Recently, several minority groups have
caught the attention of marketers.
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Tasks:
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No. 7 Page 212
What are some important variables to
keep in mind when tailoring marketing
strategies to the elderly? How do these
affect clothing they purchase?
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Demographic Subcultures
(Income And Social Class)
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Consumer Spending And
Economic Behavior
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Social class (status symbol).
Money and how consumption (income
pattern).
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To Spend Or Not To Spend?
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Consumer demand depends on both
ability to buy and willingness to buy.
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Discretionary spending:
the money available to a household after
necessities are paid of
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Individual Attitudes Toward
Money
Profiles:
1. Takes risks to get a head
2. Is better safe than sorry
(thrifty, and tries to minimize
borrowing).
3. Puts others first
(money is a means of protecting loved
ones).
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Individual Attitudes Toward
Money (continued)
Profiles (continued):
4.
Travels first class or not at all
(buy luxury items)
5.
Is controlled by money
(equates money with power).
6.
Needs just enough to take care of self
(is not very interested in money).
7.
Believe there’s more to life than money.
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Consumer Confidence
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Beliefs about what the future hold is an
indicator of consumer confidence.
Which reflects optimistic or pessimistic
about the future.
These belief influence how much money
consumers will pump into the economy.
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Social Class
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Economic conditions and social status often
determine the type of clothing we select.
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Social class, determined by a complex set of
variables including:
- income
- family background
- occupation
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Clothing Used To Regulate
Distinction Between Class
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Clothing is one means of the control.
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Social Classes Structure:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Upper Upper
Lower Upper
Upper Middle
Lower Middle
Upper Lower
Lower Lower
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Components Of Social Class
Three major ones are:
1. Occupational prestige
2. Income
3. Educational achievement.
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Fashion excess can occur at many levels, such
as:
- high price
- designer labels
- superfluous waste
- quantity of clothes for many occasions
- for every season
- in every color.
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Fashion is often used as a status
symbols to communicate real or desired
social class.
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Task
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No. 11. Page 246
Compile a collection of ads that depict
consumers of different social classes.
What generalizations can you make
about the reality of these ads and about
the media in which they appear?
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Psychographic
(Personality, Attitudes,
And Lifestyle)
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Personality
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Which refers to a person’s unique
psychological makeup and how it
consistently influences the way responds
to his or her environment.
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Fashion Theories (Based on
Freud)
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Based on a psychoanalytic approach
focus.
Individuals subconsciously adopt and
wear sexual symbols.
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Brand Personality
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Refers to “brand equity.”
The extent that a consumer holds strong,
favorable, and unique association about
a brand in memory.
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Brand Personality (continued)
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Some apparel and accessory brands are easy
to visualize with personalities. Example:
- Eddie Bauer (outdoors oriented).
- Gap (casual)
- Nike (sports)
- Rolex (expensive)
- Victoria’s Secret (romantic, sensual, and
sexy).
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